Taking medication for children - If necessary, dissolve the tablets in water

If necessary, dissolve the tablets in lukewarm water
In general, it is advisable to give children only a few pills and instead to use home remedies for minor ailments. But if drugs are needed, parents should heed expert tips that make it easier for the offspring.

Not always medications are needed
Small "aches and pains" of children can often be "cured" in a simple way. However, if medicines become necessary, the administration should be coordinated with a physician. In the question of which medicines are suitable for children, should always be in the foreground, whether their use is really necessary or the symptoms can not be alleviated by natural means. For parents, it is also advantageous to know how they can facilitate the intake of drugs for their offspring.

If small children do not want to take the necessary medication, parents can dissolve the tablet in lukewarm water. Psychological tricks can help convince the offspring to take the medication. (Image: ladysuzi / fotolia.com)

If children do not want to take the tablets
There are children who find it extremely difficult to convince them to take their tablets.

If the offspring does not want to swallow an important drug, it can help to avoid a juice, explained the pediatrician Prof. Hans-Jürgen Nentwich in a message on the website "kinderaerzte-im-netz.de" of the professional association of children and Youth Physicians (BVKJ).

The physician also pointed out that parents should address problems with tablet intake openly with their pediatrician. He can then consider whether there are alternatives.

Juices can be dosed more accurately
In infants, the specialists will then rather resort to juices, as they act faster and can be dosed more accurately than tablets.

However, the question of "juice or tablet" does not just depend on the age and maturity of the child. According to Prof. Nentwich, the attending physician also checks in which dosage form the medication contains less alcohol or sugar, for example.

If necessary, dissolve the tablet in lukewarm water
However, there are drugs that are only in tablet form on the market. Parents of children who refuse to take the pill can if necessary dissolve the tablet in lukewarm water.

"Under no circumstances should you stir medications in juices or serve them on a spoonful of yogurt," warned Prof. Nentwich. Because every tablet has a certain pH, which is thereby changed. Furthermore, capsules must never be opened.

"Try to give your child the medication as much as possible while sitting, as lying down increases the risk of swallowing," write the experts of the BVKJ in an earlier report.

Apply psychological tricks
Prof. Nentwich, who is also a member of the scientific advisory board of "kinderaerzte-im-netz.de", recommends using psychological tricks to persuade a child to take the medicine - be it a pill or juice.

"For preschoolers, parents should calmly explain what happens if they do not take the medicine - or that they feel better when they do it," says the doctor.

For example, with smaller children, parents can pretend that the doll or teddy bear is taking the tablet as well. "This sometimes scares the child from the motto: if the teddy manages to do that, then I can do it too." (Ad)